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they where changed and probably do not need to be longer, but they must be spaced and line correctly. You may need adequate tools to bend the wire and the spoons.For instance the 57 damper need a small paper strip on the left side of the flange. (right side in the pic)

Edited by Olek (07/09/1308:05 AM)

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I have the tools. I suspected originals because the wood below the felt is pretty clean. But that just means both originals and replacements were short. You are right about the backing felt being a different color, with mid range and base being red backed and no red backing on the treble dampers. Here is a pic of the mid range dampers showing one of the replacement dampers on far right in pic. http://www.pbase.com/schnitz/image/151142297/large

You know, I think you are right. The Damper blocks look original, with the dark patina of aging, but the bare wood under the damper felts that should be covered by felt is much lighter in color, as though exposed to UV and oxidation for a much shorter time.

So, this brings up the question of: Does anyone like this after ring? I have no experience to judge if I would like it or not. Do you think maybe I should complete all the work, but leave these old treble dampers in place until I can at least hear how they sound, and maybe compare to other pianos?

IMHO these dampers look typical of where someone at sometime has sweated off the old damper felts leaving a perfectly clean surface on the original damper heads and replaced one larger felt instead of two. The job looks serviceable but not what any pro would do. The original felts were most likely either large enough to cover the entire damper head with the centre stitched or two piece spaced apart ....i.e one piece top and bottom of each head with a gap in the middle exposing the red backing cloth.

The possibility of it ever sounding like an old over-damper would be virtually impossible to achieve, this being an under-damper! The reason over-dampers were so much less effective was solely down to the fact that such small felts were used so close to the top bridge.

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Concert Tuner & Technician for the past 49 years in the United Kingdomand Member of the Pianoforte Tuners' Association (London)www.jphillipspianoservices.freeindex.co.uk : E-mail jophillips06@aol.com

Possibly they were short because someone wanted a bit of after-ring which is characteristic of the older birdcages.

Unfortunately your post seemed to me to infer that the replacement damper felt may have been to obtain under damper characteristics. I merely was trying to be helpful to the OP in explaining the difference, and why it would not.

Sometimes I wonder why I bother .... there's so much aggression here at times sheesh.

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Concert Tuner & Technician for the past 49 years in the United Kingdomand Member of the Pianoforte Tuners' Association (London)www.jphillipspianoservices.freeindex.co.uk : E-mail jophillips06@aol.com